blue flag best practices around the world · 2017. 9. 22. · before - 2009 after - 2015 canada....

Sophie Bachet GranadosInternational Blue Flag Director

Tel: +45 6124 8081Mail: sophie @ fee.global

Foundation for Environmental Education

Scandiagade 132450 Copenhagen SVDenmark

Inspiring Blue Flag Best Practices

BLUE FLAG BEST PRACTICES AROUND THE WORLD

Environmental Management - Safety and ServicesBathing Water Quality - Environmental Education Activities

2015 - 2016

© Foundation for Environmental Education






BLUE FLAG

Blue Flag is a voluntary eco-label awarded to more than 4000 beaches and marinas in 49 countriesacross Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean. The Blue Flag works towards sustainable development of beaches and marinas through strict criteria dealing with Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, and Safety and Other Services. The Blue Flag Programme is owned and run by the non-government, non-profit organisation, Foundation for Environmental Education.

FOUNDATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is an international organisation that has been promoting environmental education for sustainable development since 1981. FEE is an umbrella organisation with member organisations in more than 70 countries around the world. FEE is active in environmental education mainly through five programmes: Blue Flag (www.blueflag.global), Green Key (www.greenkey.global), Eco-Schools (www.ecoschools.global), Learning about Forests (www.leaf.global), and Young Reporters for the Environment (www.yre.global). Through formal school education, training of staff, and awareness raising, FEE’s programmes involve people of all ages and nationalities.

For more information, please visit www.fee.global.






THIS BOOK HAS BEEN CREATED TO...

...help beach and marina managers to organise environmental education activities that fit with their goals and capacities; and to share good ideas throughout the Blue Flag network.

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION?

Environmental Education offers a broad framework that encompasses a number of different ideas and approaches to learning in, for or about the environment, in pursuit of sustainable development. The purpose of this guide is not to debate the different definitions, but to encourage a shared acceptance of the diversity of learning approaches. This introduction, therefore, offers a brief description of environmental education approaches and offers a simple classification to help users to navigate their way through the different activities and worksheets.

One way of understanding environmental education is to see it as education that engages learners with nature, encourages them to ask questions about the environment, and engage with environmental change.

This means that environmental education is not just concerned with spreading messages about the environment, but it also provides opportunities to enhance learner understanding, question environmental problems and take action for environmental change in pursuit of sustainable development.






Swim Safe mobile water quality app

In 2015, the City of Toronto launched their SwimSafe website and mobile app. Toronto’s 11 beaches (8 of which are Blue Flag!) are monitored for E. coli everyday from June to September. The app is a great resource for visitors and residents that want to know whether their nearby beach is safe for swimming. Public Health updates the app with the most recent E.coli results as soon as they become available, meaning that readings are typically less than 24 hours old.

http://www.toronto.ca/health/swimsafe/beaches_mobile.htm

Canada






Dune restoration

When Grand Bend Beach decided to pursuit Blue Flag candidacy in 2008 they redesigned and enhanced their waterfront area to incorporate better facilities, improve access, and support sensitive ecosystems. A significant amount of work has been done over the last 6 years to seed and nurture dunes along the busy beach. Plantings have been led by the municipality and local conservation authority, and local schools and community groups have participated in the restoration efforts.

Prior to establishing the dunes along the boardwalk, the municipality was constantly cleaning, collecting and removing sand that was blowing off the beach and getting caught in the parking lot. Now that the dunes have been established, the municipality is saving time and money, because the sand is staying where it belongs – on the beach.

http://www.lambtonshores.ca/en/things-to-do/grand-bend-beach.asp?_mid_=13779

Before - 2009

After - 2015

Canada






Able Sail: Providing Sailing and Instruction for sailors with differing abilities.

The mission of the Able Sail program is to provide access and sailing opportunities to individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities, and enhance their quality of life. The program is open to people of all ages, with a physical or cognitive disability, and because of LaSalle Park Marina’s diligent fundraising efforts, the program is heavily subsidized and accessible to people of all socio-economic backgrounds.

Sailors participate in one-hour sessions on boats that are specially equipped to cater to people with disabilities. The boats are extremely stable and can be sailed with either a companion instructor, or by individual sailors who have attained enough experience to go-it alone.

http://www.burlbay.com/about-the-marina-2.php

Canada






Solar powered educational catamaran

In connection with a renewal of the jetty at the beach an extra section with a disabled lifter and a small anchor space was added to the jetty. The anchor space is now home to a small educational vessel powered by solarpanels. The vessel is being used to educate schoolchildren and are also open to the public in connection with Blue Flag Environmental Education Activities and other events. To give added value Sdr Ege Strand also has an educational pavilion with posters of the local ecosystems and wildlife in connection with the jetty.

www.skoleskibet-ry.dk

Denmark






Using water hoses approved for food industry to avoid softeners in the aquatic environment

The harbour master at Ishøj Marina decided last year to change all hoses at the marina, using new hoses that are approved to be used in food indus-try. This decision was taken in order to prevent leaking of BPA and other plastic softeners found in normal plastic hoses, to the aquatic environment.

[email protected]

Denmark






Recycling unit inviting to be used and telling a story of the past

Bork Marina is situated in the southern end of Ringkø-bing Fjord. Bork Marina used to have a lot of small fishing boats, making a living for a single fisherman. Those days are long gone. Partly to tell the story of the past and partly to present recycle units in a different way, Bork Havn created the recycling unit as seen in the picture. It holds 4 fractions + glass bottle and metal can holes as well.

[email protected]

Denmark






Tide container

5 tide container have been installed on the municipality beaches. The idea is for people who are walking along the beach to pick up the trash they encounter and put them in the container on their way out of the beach. The municipal services sorts out the trash once a week . This was first developped in Talmont Saint Hilaire and inspired the municipality of La Faute sur Mer when they applied for the first time for the Blue Flag.

La Faute sur Mer / Talmont Saint Hilaire. Pays de la Loire. France

France






Special bin for cigarette butt

This small beach has found an original way to reduce cigarette butt litter by installing a special bin.

Along with the bins there is information so the beach users throw their cigarette in the bin.

Malafretaz. Rhône-Alpes. France

France






Marina composters

The marina has installed 3 composters on the marina for the boat users to reduce the amount of trash. On each composter there is information on how to use it.

Port de France. Lorraine. France

France






Safe swimming at the beach

This beach at the Baltic coast is situated in the eastern part of Germany. The idea was to provide information for all tourists, especially children, about safe bathing and swimming rules in order to further prevent accidents during the summer season. The leaflet is given out to all visitors of the community and is distributed along the beach to all potential bathers and swimmers.

12 rules are presented in a way adequate for children, but also the most important flag signs at a beach are informed about.

During educational activities tests have been conducted to test the knowledge of children - with positive results, further tests will be done in 2016. The leaflet has been designed and supported by the Blue Flag site in cooperation with a federal ministry and other authorities and organisations.

Binz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommernwww.sozial-mv.de

Germany






“Holiday with a handicap”

The brochure “Binz - holiday with a handicap” especially addresses people with special needs and disabilities. Beach accesses, special footpaths, special accommodations, hiking trails and contact details are compiled in a single booklet. Also information about accessibility for almost all different tourist attractions in the larger area of Binz is given, enabling people with physical disabilities to plan their visits to any of these sites in advance. The 24 pages booklet was compiled in 2015 and widely acknowledged by people with disabilities.

Binz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommernwww.ostseebad-binz.de

Germany






Minimalist facilities for bird watching and birdlife conservation

The municipality Borgarfjardarhreppur, along with land-owners, has ambitiously built paths, stairs and a platform at the islet Hafnarholmi for bird watching. The path is well adapted to the landscape. The main purpose of the facilities is to prevent damages to the islet, prevent disruption of the bird nesting; and finally making the islet accessible for nature watching tourism and recreation.The islet Hafnarholmi is one of the best and accessible places in Iceland for bird watching; especially puffins, black-legged kittiwake and fulmar, among other birdlife.

puffins.is

Iceland






Ecological concrete

Ecological concrete is designed to create urban marine habitats, which encourage growthof various marine organisms, reduce the influence of invasive species and enhance biodiversity. They are installed on the marina walls and creating a new life in the sea. In 2016, this will enter the EEA as well. In the photos you can see a wall that was only concrete and now is a habitat.

http://www.herzliya-marina.co.il/

Israel






Torre Guaceto and a green fishing community

The new Blue Flag beach of Carovigno (called Punta Penna Grossa / Torre Guaceto) is directly located on the nature reserve. A very good practice of joint management of the beach is his green fishing community, born in 2002 and that involves 7 fishermans. The project carried out by the Management Consortium of Torre Guaceto, Slow Food Conduct and High University of Salento and Lecce; is an outstanding example of sustainable fisheries and environmental protection: they only use large mesh nets and exit at sea no more than once a week.

In this way the area has seen increase of 400% fish population, it became a case of global interest that attracted also scholars up from California. And the responsible exploitation of reserves has also resulted in significant economic implications for fishermen in each output they realized 1500 € of fish and when they set foot on land the fish is already sold. This success has prompted other fishermen to ask the extension of the reserve that before the born of this consortium was just plagued by illegal fishing, smuggling and trafficking in illegal immigrants.

[email protected]

Italy






Our green beach house

The infrastructure project made to provide Palmares beach with restrooms, beach access and others, was made taking on account several mitigation measures to avoid environmental impact, as well as using eco-friendly resources, such as rain water collection system to be used in restrooms and showers, since the area doesn´t has public drain system. Other important characteristic to mention is the architecture of the site, designed to lessen the visual impact on the beach, using local flora to reforest and local materials (wood) for the doors, information booth, rails, to mention some, achieving with the design the mimicry of the infrastructure with the surrounding area from the mountain to the beach. Creating and image in which the cemented structure blurs into the landscape.

[email protected]

Mexico






Living with sea turtles

Huatulco has a Programme Management of Marine Turtles authorized by the General Directorate of Wildlife Job PAGM / DGVS / 08458/15, through this program has achieved coordination with different actors in the community, private companies and government, which has been reflected in the recovery of areas of sea turtle nesting, obtaining records 4 of the 6 species that spawn in Mexico (Ridley-Lepidochelys olivacea Prieta-Galápagos Green turtle, Leatherback Dermochelys coriacea and Eretmochelys-imbricata). Well, these conservation activities and tourism activities have made it into a balance allowing: tourist service providers carry out their normal activities during the day and at night removed all kinds of infrastructure from the beach, the lighting is low impact and led to their areas and not to the beach, this sea turtles make their nests can naturally and safely.

[email protected]

Mexico






Presentation and training in the use of mobile vacuum pump

The workshop “Establishment of Marina Environmental Management System (EMS)”, as part of the project “Implementation and promotion of the concept of sustainable development of Marina Bar - SUST MARINA”, was held on 3rd December 2015 in Bar. One of the goals of this three-year project is to obtain Blue Flag for Marina Bar, which was in a pilot phase during 2015 and 2016.

As a part of the workshop program, a presentation and training about the use of mobile vacuum pump for pumping waste water from the vessel, which was acquired through the project SUST - MARINA was organized. The demonstration exercise was attended by students of the Faculty of Maritime Studies, Kotor.

This was one of the three environmental activities during the Blue Flag pilot phase of Marina Bar in 2015.

www.sustmarina.wix.com

Montenegro






Monitoring of Bathing Water Quality on beaches in Montenegro

The 2015 program included the monitoring of bathing water quality at 90 locations along the Montenegrin coast. This monitoring included all 18 Blue Flag beaches and 12 beaches in the pilot program.

In order to better present and to enhance the availability of the bathing water quality data, Public Enterprise for Coastal Zone Management created the software application system for processing and presentation of data (http://monitoring.morskodobro.com) which is available in Montenegrin and English. This system, through the presentation of data by symbols on the map presents, in an easier and faster way the quality of sea water in bathing areas in Montenegro.

The application is made according to the latest standards, and is adapted for displaying information on all models of computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. In this way, information on the quality of sea water in bathing areas, will now be accessible to interested citizens and tourists, tourist organizations, hotels, tourist agencies, as well as all users of bathing areas.

http://monitoring.morskodobro.com

Montenegro






Waterlife at Waddenhaven Texel

The marina built a play ground for children with educational elements, learning of the tide at the Waddensea. Children experience by them selves by playing with water. On the informationpanel is explaned what low and high tide means. That also the infrastructure in the marina is built for the tide movements. There is also a under water camera so children can experience under water sealife at the marina.

The marina has sustainability policy, see solar power installation at the roof of the marina building.

www.waddenhaventexel.nl

The Netherlands






Coastal Defense Dutch Coast at Petten

A new coast has been built at the dike by Petten. This dike, “the Hondsbosche Zeewering”, became weak and there has been built an complete new beach in front of the old dike. To learn about coastal defense, the old dike is still visible in the landscape. For the visitors of the beach of Petten a climbing tower has been built to have a beautifull and learning overview over the new coast line. There is also a visitors center with clear explanation of building a new coast line: “Zand tegen Zee” (Sand against Sea). As we say in Holland: “God ship earth, but the Dutch made The Netherlands”.

www.kustopkracht.nl

The Netherlands






Sustainable energy

Two kind of devices regarding to sustainable management was set on Marina Solna in Kolobrzeg. One of them – wind turbine (pictrue 1) are generating electricity using the power of wind. The second one – hybrid lamps (picture 2) are illuminating the area of marina using solar energy. There are plans to instal more of wind turbines and hybrid lamps in order to use more and more renewable energy.

www.portkolobrzeg.pl

Poland






The new “WOOD” beach furniture

This best practice on several beaches in Portugal concerns the reuse of plastic. Transforming it in beach furniture and/or equipments: catwalk over the sand or river (inland beaches), information boards, sun protectors, deck chairs, etc. It is more sustainable, greater durability and less need of maintenance and the possibility of being not aggressive aesthetically because it imitates visually the traditional wood.

[email protected]

Portugal






“DON’T LEAVE ANY MEMORIES OTHER THAN YOUR FOOTPRINTS” warning signs

For a cleaner beach our sites are working hardly. For maintenance cleanliness and raising awareness, warning signs in two languages located different parts of the Sarıgerme Public Beach.

www.sarced.com.tr

Turkey






Paddle surf for livesavers

About the Project: Some Blue Flag beaches in Spain choose to use inflatable paddle surf boards for lifesaving tasks. The device is easy to transport as it is light and foldable, and easy to store in small lifesaving posts. Also it is more environmental friendly than motor boats.Its effectiveness has been demonstrated by lifesaving experts that state that:• it is a good way to watch the bathing area without annoying beachgoers;• it is a fast way to approach swimmers in danger;• it is useful for taking people out of the water.

www.airsurfrescue.com

Spain






BLUE FLAGBlue Flag is a voluntary eco-label awarded to more than 4000 beaches and marinas in 49 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean. The Blue Flag works towards sustainable development of beaches and marinas through strict criteria dealing with Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, and Safety and Other Services. The Blue Flag Programme is owned and run by the non-government, non-profit organisation, Foundation for Environmental Education.

FOUNDATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONFoundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is an international organisation that has been promoting environmental education for sustainable development since 1981. FEE is an umbrella organisation with member organisations in more than 60 countries around the world.

FEE is active in environmental education mainly through five programmes: Blue Flag ( www.blueflag.global), Green Key (www.greenkey.global), Eco-Schools (www.ecoschools.global), Learning about Forests (www.leaf.global), and Young Reporters for the Environment (www.yre.global).

Through formal school education, training of staff, and awareness raising, FEE’s programmes involve people of all ages and nationalities. For more information, please visit www.fee.global






Blue Flag International programme thanks all the Blue Flag National Operators worldwide

for sharing these best practices.






BLUE FLAG INTERNATIONAL

Blue Flag International Director: Sophie Bachet Granados


Scandiagade 132450 Copenhagen SV

Denmark

Tel +45 61 24 80 81

E-mail: [email protected]

blue flag best practices around the world · 2017. 9. 22. · before - 2009 after - 2015 canada....

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